One component of radio communications systems in an antenna. Many systems use directional antennas, which must therefore be pointed in a desired direction to allow communications to be established. Increasingly, radio communications systems are using larger antennas to provide higher gain. Larger antennas, however, are more directional, and therefore must be pointed more accurately.
For a fixed size antenna, higher radio frequencies also correspond to higher directivity (narrower beamwidth). As communications systems migrate to higher frequencies, the resulting narrower beamwidth also creates a need for more accurate pointing.
In order to maintain accurate pointing, an antenna requires a stable mount. For antennas mounted in a fixed location and pointed in a fixed direction, providing a sufficiently stable mount is usually not a problem. For example, concrete foundations can be engineered to provide the desired amount of stability.
Transportable antennas, however, present a number of challenges. Maintaining accurate and stable pointing for a large antenna generally requires a large and stable mount for the antenna. It is generally not practical to provide highly stable concrete footings or other engineered foundations for a transportable antenna. Providing large and heavy mounting structure is also undesirable, as this represents additional weight and volume that is transported. Furthermore, a transportable antenna may be exposed to the elements (in contrast to a radome-protected fixed antenna), and therefore stability in wind and severe weather may also be needed. Accordingly, providing a stable mounting system for a large transportable antenna remains an unmet need.